Coffee machine that grinds beans contained in capsules

A coffee machine that grinds beans contained in capsules, comprising:

• a vertical tube configured to receive a capsule, wherein the capsule comprises:
• an outer sleeve that is hollow with a top seal and a bottom seal;
• an inner container that fits within the outer sleeve, wherein the inner container comprises:
• a lower compartment initially containing coffee beans;
• an upper compartment that is initially empty;
• and,
• a filter between the lower compartment and the upper compartment;
• a water reservoir;
• a water heater;
• a water pump;
• a water spout that receives water from the water heater;
• a water spout actuator coupled to the water spout and configured to extend the water spout into an interior of the vertical tube and to retract the water spout from the interior of the vertical tube;
• a grinder;
• a bean collector coupled to the grinder;
• a bean collector actuator coupled to the bean collector and configured to extend the bean collector into the interior of the vertical tube and to retract the bean collector from the interior of the vertical tube;
• a ground coffee chute coupled to the grinder;
• a ground coffee chute position actuator coupled to the ground coffee chute and configured to extend the ground coffee chute into the interior of the vertical tube and to retract the ground coffee chute from the interior of the vertical tube;
• a ground coffee chute vibration actuator coupled to the ground coffee chute;
• a capsule holder within the vertical tube that holds the capsule when it is inserted into the vertical tube;
• a capsule position actuator coupled to the capsule holder that moves the capsule vertically up and down within the vertical tube;
• a seal opener configured to release the coffee beans from the lower compartment when the capsule position actuator moves the capsule to contact the seal opener, wherein the seal opener comprises:
• one or more blades configured to cut open the top seal;
• and,
• one or more elements configured to engage with a top edge of the inner container to prevent the inner container from moving further upward;
• a lid coupled to the seal opener;
• a lid actuator coupled to the lid and configured to open the lid and to close the lid;
• a filling area located below a bottom of the vertical tube and configured to receive a container that receives brewed coffee;
• a presence sensor proximal to the filling area that detects whether the container is in the filling area;
• a controller coupled to the bean collector actuator, the ground coffee chute position actuator, the ground coffee chute vibration actuator, the water pump, the water heater, the grinder, the lid actuator, the capsule position actuator, and the presence sensor, wherein the controller is configured to:
• open the lid to receive the capsule;
• extend the bean collector into the interior of the vertical tube;
• close the lid upon receiving a start command;
• move the capsule to contact the seal opener to release the coffee beans from the lower compartment;
• collect the coffee beans in the bean collector and transport the coffee beans to the grinder;
• retract the bean collector from the interior of the vertical tube;
• activate the grinder to grind the coffee beans, yielding ground coffee;
• move the capsule downward in the vertical tube and extend the ground coffee chute into the interior of the vertical tube to transport the ground coffee from the grinder through the ground coffee chute into the upper compartment;
• vibrate the ground coffee chute while transporting the ground coffee into the upper compartment;
• retract the ground coffee chute from the interior of the vertical tube;
• extend the water spout into the interior of the vertical tube;
• activate the water pump and the water heater to pump water from the water reservoir into the water heater, and from the water heater through the water spout into the upper compartment, wherein heated water brews the ground coffee and brewed coffee flows through the filter and exits from the lower compartment into a container placed below the vertical tube;
• and,
• after the heated water brews the ground coffee in the upper compartment, when the presence sensor indicates that the container has been removed, move the capsule downward through a bottom of the vertical tube to the filling area for removal.